International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology / 5(1), 2014, 10-17. e - ISSN - 2249-7668 Print ISSN - 2249-7676 International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology www.ijpt.org SCORPION STINGS – A SHORT REVIEW Subash Vijaya kumar1 and Sasikala M 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Vels University, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Pallavaram, Chennai, India. 2PG Department of General Medicine, Government Siddha Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India ABSTRACT Scorpions belong to class arachnide and are quite commonly encountered in India. The scorpions venom containing short neurotoxin polypeptides consists of low molecular weight proteins, Which have mechanisms of lethal and paralytic effect. In many tropical and subtropical countries, venoms from medically important scorpion species are still used in the production of anti-venoms to the treatment of envenomation. The objective of this review is to update knowledge on the management of scorpion stings. Literature search was started in January 2013 in the following electronic and non electronicdatabases : Medline, Ebsco, Pubmed, Dove Press, Vels school of pharmaceutical library and the Cochrane library. We performed a search over a period of 16 months only on scorpion stings were included, key search terms were as follows ; Indian, Australian, Chinese scorpion species and etc. The result of scorpion stings management as neutralizes the circulating venom with anti-venom and as we know that, no action in reversing the effects of already raised catecholamine and tissue- bound venom. Cold extremities occur due to alpha receptor stimulation as a result of vasoconstriction, and delay the venom absorption in circulation from site of sting. Hence necessity need for health personnel training follows, regarding optimum treatment protocols. It should be extended to all countries where the incidence of scorpion stings is high. Keywords: Scorpion, India, China, Australia, anti-venom and Respiratory failure. INTRODUCTION range in size from ½ inch to 7 ¼ inches long (including A scorpion’s body becomes more slender toward the tail), depending on the species. the end and has a five-segmented tail that can be arched over the back. On the end of the tail is a bulb-like poison Figure 1. Indian red scorpion (Mesobuthustamulus) gland or stinger. Scorpions have four pairs of legs and two large, pincer-bearing arms (Pedipalps) in front. Scorpions are well-equipped to defend themselves or attack prey with their pincers and stinger. Between the last pairs of legs are comb-like structures called the pectines, which are sensory organs used to sense surface textures and detect prey. Scorpions have two eyes on the top of the head and usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front Scorpions are nocturnal, hiding during the day corners of the head. They do not see well, however, and and becoming active at night. This behavior helps them must rely on the sense of touch, using their pectines and manage temperature and water balance, which are other organs for navigation and detecting prey. They have important functions for survival in dry habitats. Many a well-developed sense of hearing. Worldwide, scorpions Corresponding Author:-S.Vijayakumar Email:[email protected] 10 | P a g e International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology / 5(1), 2014, 10-17. species dig burrows in the soil. Their bodies are flat, have been described. In many tropical and subtropical which allows them to hide in small cracks and under countries, venoms from medically important scorpion stones, bark, wood, or other objects on the ground. From species are still used in the production of antivenoms to these hiding places they wait or search for prey. Chief the treatment of envenomation. The reasons of this is the foods are small insects, spiders, centipedes, earthworms, absence of vaccines or other effective agents against and other scorpions. Once they capture their prey, they use envenomations on the other hand, source of variation in their large pincers to crush and draw it toward the mouth animal orgin interval of venom extraction time and so the prey’s body juices can be ingested. method and differences in the genetic makeup of Some scorpion species may live for 20 to 25 population in one species, hence quality control and years, but the typical life span is 3 to 8 years. Adult homogeneity of venom to production antivenom are a scorpions may have several broods of young. Following crucial point. [2] The objective of this review is to update an elaborate mating process that lasts 24 to 36 hours, the knowledge on the management of scorpion stings. female undergoes a gestation period ranging from 5 months to more than 1 year. The young are born alive in EPIDEMIOLOGY semitransparent sacs. As soon as the young scorpions free Scorpion stings are a common and important themselves from these thin wrappers, they climb onto their health problem in developing countries. In India 30-50% mother’s back . The striped bark scorpion mates in the fall, fatality occur due to acute pulmonary edema .whereas, spring or early summer and the gestation period lasts uncommon clinical presentations of scorpion sting were about 8 months. Females usually give birth to 13 to 47 seen in 86 species of scorpions. Some species are medical young, with an average of 31. The immature scorpions importance mesobuthus tumulus (Red scorpion) and molt 3 to 7 days after birth and remain on the mother for Palamneus swanmerdami (black scorpion). Mesobuthus another 3 to 7 days. There are five or six molts to maturity. tamulus scorpion is common in western Maharashtra, A striped bark scorpion lives for approximately 4 Saurashtra (Gujarat), Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu years.Scorpion have been able to survive in heat, drought, and Karnataka states where morbidity and mortality due to freezing conditions for weeks, desert condition and scorpion stinging have been reported. The Iranian scorpion starvation for months and total immersion of water for (scorpionide) fauna consists of over 44 species from 23 days. This remarkable power of adoption makes their genera in two families, Buthidae and scorpionidae, species survival independent of ecological condition and gives the of Hemiscorpius lepturus, Androctonus crassicaude and species an unbroken continuity in adverse climatic Mesobuthus eupeus are the main species responsible for conditions. During the day time scorpions take shelter stings. Where H.Lepturus is the most venomous of all under bark of trees, dry firewood or cow dung, in the piles types of scorpions in Iran. It contributes 95% of all of bricks, paddy husk, beddings, loose tiles of hut, in the mortalities in scorpions sting patients. A crassicaude is the shoes left empty over night, pockets of trousers and shirt, second most dangerous scorpion in Iranand has a large carving, crevices of windows and doors.[1] geographical distribution in both the world and Iran. This Scorpions are a very homogenous group of scorpion species distributed in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and arthropods comprising about 1500 species of which about Yemen. However, H.falcifer and H.flagelliraptor from 30 all belonging to the family buthidae are potentially oman. About 1000-2000 deaths are caused by scorpion dangerous to humans. They are shy creatures of universe bite eachyear in mexico and high mortalities occur in active at night during the hot season but often live in Brazil, Israel, Trinided, Algeria, India, Pakistan and houses or inhabited areas which explains the high Jordan. [3] incidence of scorpion stings involving both adult and Among scorpions living in northafrica, 12 species children in many parts of the world. The venomous are very important and involved in severe accident cases. apparatus of the consists of a venom vesicle comprising a Androctonus australis (Aa); Androctonus mauretanicus pair of joined glands in telson (ie) the last segment of the (AM); Androctonus crassicauda (AC); Buthus occitamus post abdomen. This venom vesicle is surrounded by a (BO); Odontobuthus doriae (OD); Hottentott Schach striated muscular layer facilitating and regulating the (HSch); Hottentotta Jayakari (HJ); Mesobuthus eupeus ejection of venom. This ability partly explains the (Me); Hemiscorpius Lepturus (He); Hemiscorpius variation In intensity of symptoms and the possibility of Persicus (HP); Leiurusquin questriatus (LQ); Their dry stings (ie) without inoculation of venom. venom toxicity is variable and also depends on the Scorpions belong to class arachnide (Comprising injection route and animal body weight. [4] eight legged creatures) and are quite commonly In Turkey, there are 23 distinct scorpion species encountered in india. The scorpions venom containing and of those, the most venomous scorpion to humans short neurotoxin polypeptides consists of low molecular belongs to the Buthidae family. M. eupeus and M. weight proteins, Which have mechanisms of lethal and gibbosus are members of Mesobuthus genus, Buthidae paralytic effect. It has been estimated that 100,000 distinct family. These species common from west Anatolia to the peptides exist in scorpion venom but only few peptides east of Anatolia are considered a medically important 11 | P a g e International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology / 5(1), 2014, 10-17. species. Ozkan et al. stated that the majority of scorpion to cape York in queens land. Representatives of the genus stings were observed in the Mediterranean, Aegean, are also recorded in the northern territory and in remnant Central and East Anatolia regions of Turkey. [5] rainforest in the Kimberley region of western Australia. In southern Australia cercophonius squame is the Liocheles defy the stereotypical view of scorpions as only known scorpion from Tasmania. Lioctheles species desert animals and are restricted to rainforest and other are widely distributed along the eastern coast of Australia mesic tropical and subtropical environments. being found from northern mew south wales north wards Table 1. In this review major group of scorpions in Australia summary of the clinical effects and circumstances of stings. [6,12] Scorpion Group Location Circumstances Clinical Effects/Severity Lychas spp.